Wrist reel



.P. w. SIMONDS 3,044,732

WRIST REEL Filed Aug. 13, 1959 July 17, 1962 IN VENTOR United States Patent Gfiice Patented July 17, 1962 3,044,732 WRIST REEL Patrick W. Simonds, 11805 Oak Haven Road, Austin, Tex. Filed Aug. 13, 1959, Ser. No. 833,522 1 Claim. (Cl. 24296) This'invention is a reel structure for application preferably to the wrist of a user and involves structure permitting of ready application of the reel to the wrist of a person, and which may with equal readiness be removed therefrom, and affords means whereby the other hand of the user may readily manipulate the reel for either winding or unwinding purposes.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a reel of simple and inexpensive construction which may be readily manufactured and marketed at a minimum of cost, which involves an assemblage of parts of simple construction capable of being readily assembled and which operates effectively in producing the reeling or unreeling operations.

A further object of the invention is to provide a reel structure wherein the movable parts thereof are normally positioned so as to positively lock the winding shaft with the reel, but may be quickly and easily operated to release the shaft from the winding mechanism to permit automatic unreeling.

A further object of the invention is to provide a reel of the character thus generally stated wherein means are provided for positively locking the reel against unwinding operations at a desired time, which means may be quickly actuated to release the winding handle from the drum to bring about either reeling or unreeling operations.

With the foregoing objects in view, together with others which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, all as will be described more fully hereinafter, illustrated in the drawings, and particularly pointed out in the claim.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a reeling device constructed in accordance with the invention,

FIG. 2 is a view taken at right angles to the showing in FIG. 1 with the reel casing broken away to show the parts in the position they will assume when the reel has been operated to tension the string or cord and with the operating handle in locked position,

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but with the winding sleeve shown in section to indicate how the teeth thereof interengage with the teeth of the reel or drum,

FIG. 4 is an end elevation of one side of the reel or drum,

FIG. 5 is a detail sectional view taken through the drum and illustrating the tubular shaft in which the expansion spring is seated, and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken centrally through the casing, drum and winding sleeve.

As has been heretofore stated, the reel of my invention is adapted particularly for application to the wrist of a user, leaving one hand free to operate the reel. A reel of this general construction, with a cord attached to the drum, may be equipped with means whereby objects floating, dropped or otherwise out of reach, may be conveniently and easly retrieved, where for instance, a grapple or other article engaging device may be attached to the free end of the cord. Its use could also be readily extended to the reeling or unreeling operations of measuring bands or tapes as will be readily understood.

Involved in the construction of my improved reel is a casing or housing indicated generally at 10 which is of relatively flat cylindrical form having bottom and cover plates 11 and 12 respectively for its ends corresponding spring 26, one end of which bears against the bottom with the shape of thehousing or casing. The cover plate 12 is of slightly greater diameter than the housing to provide a flange 13 provided with spaced teeth 14.

Arranged axially within the housing 10 and secured rigidly at one end to the bottom plate 11 is a hollow shaft 15, the outer end of which terminates adjacent to the cover plate 12. The outer end of this shaft is enclosed by a slidable sleeve 16, the inner end of which extends within the casing 10 while the outer end projects beyond the plate 12 and has rigidly attached thereto one end of an operating lever 17 which has hinged thereto as at 18 a sectional handle 19 equipped at its free end with a hand grip 20 to permit ready rotation of the handle. The hinge 18 is so located that when the handle portion 19 is swung inwardly upon lever portion 17, the hand grip 20 will engage between the teeth 14 of the cover plate 12 and thus lock the handle against rotative movement. The sleeve 16 is provided upon its exterior surface and inwardly of its ends with teeth 21 to engage with similar teeth 22 in one plate 23 of a reel or drum, the opposite plate of which is represented at 24. The plates 23-24 are connected by an axial band 25 constituting the drum upon which the cord or string is to be wound, the plates 23- 24 being axially bored to bear respectively upon the exterior of sleeve 16 and the hollow post 15.

Mounted within the hollow post 15 is an expansion coil plate 11 while the opposite end bears against the lever 17 which is rigid with the sleeve 16. This spring tends normally to force the sleeve in a direction outwardly of the casing or housing 10, the limit of movement of the sleeve 16 being limited by engagement of the teeth 21 with the inner surface of the cover plate 12 of the casing. However, the teeth 21, as previously stated, are positioned upon the sleeve inwardly from the ends of the latter so that upon depression of the lever 17 and movement of the sleeve 16 inwardly upon its supporting shaft 15, the teeth 21 will disengage themselves from the teeth 22 ,of the reel, thus releasing the latter to free unwinding movement.

In operation, a cord 27 is attached at one end to the drum 25 and passes through a suitable opening 28 in the periphery of the casing 10 so that its free end may be secured to a weight, grapple or other device 29 which may be seated within the socket member 30 rigidlysecured to the periphery of the housing 10. Secured in any desired manner to the exterior surface of the base plate 11 of the housing is a wrist band of conventional form indicated at 31 to be engaged around the wrist of a wearer.

With the parts in the position illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the cord 27 has been wound upon the drum or reel '25 so as to hold the weight 29 securely in position within its retaining socket 30. When it is desired to release this weight, grapple or whatever it may be, the handle mechanism 1719 is pressed inwardly against tension of spring 26, moving the teeth 21 of the sleeve from. engagement with the corresponding teeth 22 of the plate 23. The reel thus released permits the weight to drop from its position within the socket as the cord unwinds. When it is desired to wind the cord upon the reel, presure upon the sleeve 16 is released, whereupon the spring 26 operates to force the sleeve outwardly of the casing, bringing the teeth 21 into interlocking engagement with the teeth 22 of the plate 23 of the reel, whereupon the handle may be bent to extended position upon its hinge 18 and rotative movement applied thereto will bring about a winding action of the drum. When this action is completed, the handle is then bent upon its hinge 18 until the hand grip 20 engages between the teeth 14 of the cover plate, thus locking the reel against rotative movement in either direction.

It is obvious from the foregoing, that I have provided a reel structure of exceedingly simple construction, which is composed of but few simple and inexpensive parts which may be readily assembled and which will be positive and eflicient in all its operations. By attaching the wrist band 31 to the casing the reel may be conveniently carried about and will be available for instant operation when required.

I claim:

In a winding reel, a cylindrical casing, parallel bottom and cover plates secured to the ends of said casing and concentric therewith, said cover plate being of greater diameter than said casing and having teeth in its periphery, a hollow shaft of uniform diameter throughout its length affixed at one end centrally of said bottom plate and extending axially thereof toward said cover plate, a reel in said casing comprising a hub portion and spaced apart circular plates one of which has bearing upon said shaft, a sleeve extending slidably through said cover plate and slidably enclosing said shaft, said other reel plate having an opening therein having bearing upon said sleeve, teeth in said bearing opening, an expansion spring in said hollow shaft engaged at one end with said bottom plate and at its opposite end with the interior of said sleeve, teeth on the exterior of said sleeve between the ends thereof normally engaging the teeth of said reel plate and engaging at one end with said cover plate to limit the outward movement of said sleeve, said sleeve teeth when moved inwardly against tension of said spring being disengaged from the teeth of said reel plate to free the reel for rotation, a lever connected at one end to the outer end of said sleeve with its opposite end disposed slightly beyond the periphery of said cover plate, a handle portion of greater length than the diameter of said cover plate hinged at one end to the said opposite end of said lever, and a hand grip at the other end of said handle portion disposed at right angles thereto to slidably engage with the peripheral teeth of said cover plate when folded upon said lever and to lock said handle and lever against rotation.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 88,428 Woodruff Mar. 30, 1869 1,364,031 Brenizer Dec. 28, 1920 2,603,325 Pickard July 15, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,993 Great Britain Jan. 30, 1893 71,866 Austria June 10, 1916 

